Controversy [2k]

Translator: CinderTL

Li Chunjun reached out his hand, and the Scarlet Sky Sword, which had just pierced through a True Core cultivator, landed in his grasp.

The Blazing Phoenix Fire burned fiercely.

The Scarlet Sky Sword remained spotless, its surface gleaming like a mirror.

At this moment, Qin Zhou, Jun Zhou, and others escorted several figures forward.

"Sword Prodigy! We've brought these people to you! They are at your disposal!"

Li Chunjun glanced at them.

Bai Yang, Tian Jian.

The two Core Formation Elders, who had once exuded an air of confidence and immortality during their first meeting, now looked utterly disheveled.

Bai Yang, in particular, was covered in blood.

It seemed he had used a special technique like Blood Escape, exhausting all his Essence Qi, which caused the spilled blood to stain his entire body.

Tian Jian and Bai Yang looked at Li Chunjun, who had led the charge to break the Royal City Grand Formation, with complex expressions.

However, whether it was because they knew Li Chunjun would never spare them or because they had the precedent of Zhou Wu Gou's fate, they both felt that, given Li Chunjun's hatred for them, he might very well take their lives.

Though the outcome would undoubtedly be grim, at least they could survive.

As long as they were alive, there was hope.

And where there was hope, they should not give up.

Thus, the two of them appeared to have a certain resolve.

"Li Chunjun, I know…"

Elder Tian Jian began to speak with a tone of defiance.

But before he could finish, Li Chunjun turned to Qin Zhou and asked, "Why didn't you kill them?"

Qin Zhou was momentarily stunned, then replied, "These two have repeatedly targeted you, Sword Prodigy. They should…"

"Never mind, I'll handle it."

Li Chunjun waved his hand and pointed a finger at Elder Tian Jian.

Elder Tian Jian, who had thought he might receive the same treatment as Zhou Wu Gou and at least keep his life, heard the brief exchange and instantly his pupils contracted in fear.

"No, I…"

The Core Formation Elder, who had believed he could face death with dignity, opened his mouth in panic, trying to say something.

In the next moment, his head was pierced by a Sword Qi casually released by Li Chunjun.

The expression on Li Chunjun's face…

Was as indifferent as if he had just crushed an ant on the roadside.

This scene also caused Bai Yang, who had similar thoughts to Tian Jian, to tremble uncontrollably.

Originally, they wouldn't have been so shaken.

When the formation was about to be broken, they had already prepared themselves for death.

They had even expected to face it with composure.

But Zhou Wu Gou's survival had given them hope.

It had pulled them back from the brink of despair.

Being alive was at least better than being dead.

Even if their Golden Cores were destroyed and they were reduced to cripples, they would accept it.

Such injuries were almost irreparable for Core Formation and Nascent Soul cultivators, but if they could return to their main sect, the Primordial Spirit or even Void Refining experts there might have ways to restore them.

It was just a matter of what price they would have to pay.

But now, before the hope of survival could even warm them, despair descended once again…

Tian Jian hadn't even managed to utter a single word before Li Chunjun swiftly crushed him.

Especially…

After killing Tian Jian, Li Chunjun didn't hesitate for a moment before turning his gaze to Bai Yang.

Bai Yang, whose mental defenses had already been shattered, felt a suffocating pressure.

When Li Chunjun raised his hand, Bai Yang trembled and let out a hoarse cry, "The Bai family will avenge me!"

Li Chunjun's raised hand paused.

"Are you afraid?"

He asked.

Bai Yang stared at the finger pointed at him, from which a fierce Sword Qi could erupt at any moment…

Had it stopped?

He stopped!? "I'm not like you; I won't torture or kill anyone, not even my enemies."

Li Chunjun said, "So, don't be afraid. It will be quick."

Quick?

So...

Bai Yang's pupils contracted sharply.

"Whoosh!"

In the next moment, a Sword Qi pierced through his throat.

At the Core Formation stage, especially the True Core Realm, one could perfectly control their body.

As long as the head remained intact, no matter how severe the injuries, they could slowly recover.

Even a pierced throat.

However, during his capture by Qin Zhou, Jun Zhou, and others, they had severely damaged his True Core. Although his True Core wasn't completely destroyed, it was heavily injured, and the circulation of his Essence, Energy, and Spirit was almost entirely sealed.

In this state, he couldn't use his absolute control over his body to heal the wound in his throat. Even worse...

His struggle on the brink of death would last longer than that of an ordinary person.

Unfortunately...

As the Sword Qi blasted a hole through his throat, his vocal cords were also destroyed, rendering him unable to utter a single word.

Li Chunjun's gaze didn't linger on him any longer.

He turned, mounted his sword, and joined the pursuit of those Qi Refining cultivators.

...

Half an hour later.

Zuo Tian and Jiang Yuxue arrived at the rooftop of a building over sixty stories high.

This was an ordinary building not involved in the City Protection Grand Formation.

A prince, who held the status of a Core Disciple of the Chiyang Sword Sect, lived on the top floor of this building.

Now, this prince had naturally become a victim of the Scarlet Sky Sword.

The rooftop was lavishly decorated.

Artificial grass, trees thick enough to require two people to embrace, a garden bursting with flowers, and a swimming pool illuminated by lights that cast a deep blue glow—everything was there. At this moment, Li Chunjun was sitting on a chair by the pool.

He gently caressed the intricate carvings on it.

Without guessing, one could tell that this chair, made of unknown material, was undoubtedly so expensive that an ordinary person could never afford it even if they worked their entire life.

He glanced again at the horizon.

A significant portion of the royal capital was almost entirely visible.

Although the slaughter of Qi Refining cultivators and above by the Core Formation cultivators of the Taixu Sword Sect had caused chaos in many parts of the city, slightly disrupting the bustling scene of a modern metropolis, still...

In such a large city, it was enough to make ordinary people feel insignificant.

And for those in power, like this prince, sitting here, did they feel as if the entire city was beneath their feet? Over time, this feeling would naturally give rise to a sense of superiority, even leading to some twisted and perverse thoughts.

Even Li Chunjun himself, with his current strength, had the thought of whether he should strike with his sword and split the entire city in two.

Perhaps this strike would result in countless deaths, countless families torn apart, and countless companies collapsing, but...

So what?

As long as he was happy, as long as he wanted to.

Who could stop him? "Who could stop him?"

Li Chunjun thought to himself.

The answer was, no one.

So...

Li Chunjun raised his head.

This was the most direct reason why those in power acted as they pleased.

"Sword Prodigy."

At this moment, Zuo Tian approached Li Chunjun: "The Sect Master has sent a message, wishing to speak with you."

A message.

The Message Jade Talisman in his Storage Bracelet had been vibrating incessantly.

There were more than just one or two people trying to contact him.

He knew the reason.

He had forcibly breached the Great Shang royal city and ordered the execution of all cultivators within the city who were at the Qi Refining stage or above.

Such actions were already somewhat taboo for the Nine Sects Alliance, which adhered to many unwritten rules of the cultivation world.

But...

Li Chunjun lowered his head.

In his heart, he muttered, "This is just the beginning."

Jiang Yuxue, seeing that Li Chunjun remained silent, added, "Sword Prodigy, the Peak Master is also trying to reach you."

The Peak Master?

Jiang Yuqiu, the Peak Master of Flaming Phoenix Peak.

Li Chunjun glanced at her, "I know."

Immediately, he took out the Message Jade Talisman.

Not only Jiang Yuqiu and Huan Ming, but Jiang Wanyu had also sent him messages.

After a moment of contemplation, Li Chunjun first contacted Huan Ming.

Soon, a stream of light projected from the Mystic Treasure-level jade talisman, forming the image of Huan Ming, the Sect Master of Taixu Sword Sect.

"Sword Prodigy Li, we are all aware of your actions. The behavior of the Chiyang Sword Sect has crossed the line. Your retaliation falls within the reasonable scope of equivalent countermeasures."

As soon as Huan Ming's image appeared, he immediately affirmed Li Chunjun's actions.

Li Chunjun's expression remained unchanged.

He knew this wasn't the whole story.

"You have conquered Great Shang, expanding the territory of our Taixu Sword Sect and opening up the tenth state. This is a great merit, and the sect will surely reward you heavily."

Huan Ming continued, offering comfort, "After so many battles, you must be exhausted now, and your Lifebound Flying Sword also needs proper recuperation. To avoid being taken advantage of during this period, it's best to return to the sect first."

After a pause, he added, "The sect will uphold justice for you. Let's discuss everything once you're back."

"No need."

Li Chunjun responded calmly, "I can still fight. The Chiyang Sword Sect has at most a hundred or so Core Formation cultivators. Even if they all come at me, I can swiftly defeat them one by one with the speed of my sword. It's just a matter of time."

Facing a hundred alone!

Treating the Chiyang Sword Sect's hundred Core Formation cultivators as nothing!

Such boldness...

Truly worthy of the Flaming Phoenix Sword Prodigy! Moreover, with his recent record of slaying fifty to sixty Core Formation cultivators, Huan Ming had no doubt that Li Chunjun could achieve this.

But...

"Crushing the Chiyang Sword Sect is one thing! Expelling them from Blue Star is another, but exterminating the Chiyang Sword Sect completely... leaving no Qi Refining stage or above cultivators alive..."

Huan Ming coughed, "That's a bit too extreme."

"So, the Chiyang Sword Sect using unrelated people to threaten me is acceptable?"

Li Chunjun retorted.

"Such actions are indeed the Chiyang Sword Sect's fault first, so any retaliation from you is justified. However, the methods could be slightly moderated."

Huan Ming said, "We are not a demonic sect; we can't just kill at will..."

At this point, he paused, "What I mean is, you can kill secretly, assassinate covertly. Some unwritten rules are unwritten precisely because they can't be brought to the forefront."

"I don't know anything about unwritten rules. All I know is, if they can do it, so can I."

Li Chunjun stated.

At this moment, a figure appeared.

"You child, why can't you wrap your head around it? Isn't what the Sect Leader said clear enough? If you want to kill, go ahead and kill, but don't do it openly. On the surface, you still have to follow the rules, otherwise how can we continue to play?"

It was Peak Lord Bai Lian.

This Peak Lord spoke with a tone of frustration, as if disappointed in his lack of progress: "Just like when you insisted on killing Zhou Wu Gou, go ahead and kill him. During the True Inheritor battle, if you publicly humiliate and slaughter him in front of everyone from both sects, no one would dare to utter a single word of dissent. But for controversial actions like attacking the capital of Great Shang, it's still..."

"Controversial? There's no controversy."

Li Chunjun interrupted him: "Controversy arises when both sides are of equal, or at least similar, strength. But when I attacked the capital of Great Shang..."

He looked at Peak Lord Bai Lian, and inevitably, Sect Leader Huan Ming and the others.

"Would you have a dispute with an ant over a piece of biscuit on the table?"

He directly provided the answer: "No, if an ant dirties the biscuit you want to eat, you would simply crush it!"

(End of the Chapter)

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